Denton probably is best-known as the home of the University of North Texas and Texas Woman’s University, but its proximity to many startup companies and entrepreneurs is fueling the growth of a new partnership that just celebrated its first anniversary.

That proximity was one reason why the city of Denton partnered with the Dallas Entrepreneur Center (DEC) to launch Stoke, an entrepreneur center that offers resources such as coworking space, mentors, educational programs, and more to build startups into full-fledged, revenue-generating companies, Stoke Director Heather Gregory said.

Stoke celebrated its one-year anniversary on Aug. 1, with a birthday bash at its offices at at 608 E. Hickory St. in Denton.

Gregory said partners, startups, and supporters took advantage of the celebration to look back on a year filled with accomplishments.

“Our first year went above and beyond expectations,” Gregory said.

“There’s been a lot of activity and opportunity for people to come together, to learn and to collaborate.”
Heather Gregory

In its first year, Stoke began its Mentor Program — modeled after the DEC’s in downtown Dallas — recruiting 25 mentors to participate in the program, which had 40 session during the year. Topics included business planning, pitching and fundraising, legal questions, and taxes.

Also, Stoke launched the Ambassador and Lunch & Learn programs.

“Our brand ambassadors are university students and professionals, who learn about what we do here, then spread word to the community,” Gregory said. “They work on projects that help the startup community.”

Gregory, who joined Stoke as its full-time director in January, said that Stoke’s space hosted 40 events in its first year, including  networking and “lunch-and-learn” events, as well as events held with UNT and TechMill, a Denton-based nonprofit in the startup space.

STOKE LOOKS TO GROW NAME RECOGNITION

“There’s been a lot of activity and opportunity for people to come together, to learn and to collaborate,” Gregory said.

She said the next step is to build on what was launched in the organization’s first year.

Much of the effort in the first year focused on implementing programs and tailoring them to fit the needs of Denton’s entrepreneurial community, Gregory said.

“I really think the first year was setting the foundation,” she said. “Now that our name is more well-known in Denton, and now that we have that first year under our belt, we’ll be able to grow our membership, and some of the programs, events, and partnerships that will help us better serve entrepreneurs.”

SCENES FROM STOKE’S AUG. 1 BIRTHDAY BASH

[ Photos provided by Stoke ]

Dallas Innovates, every day

View previous emails.